Toronto landlord shocked after receiving $32K ‘catch-up’ water bill

The City of Toronto will soon start replacing almost a half a million ‘water meter transmission units’ after they failed prematurely. Pat Foran explains.

The City of Toronto will soon start replacing 470,000 Water Meter Transmission Units (MTUs) after they failed prematurely.

These battery-powered devices send water readings to the city but when they fail, bills are estimated, which has led to problems.

• READ MORE: Toronto spending millions to replace failing water meters, with more problems expected

One Toronto landlord said she recently got a shocker of a bill when the City of Toronto estimated her water consumption, sending her a ‘catch-up’ bill of $31,702 for the past three years.

Manjit Dhuga owns an eight-unit apartment building on Weston Road and said her family has owned the building for the past 30 years.

After receiving her most recent water bill, she said she was shocked and confused to receive such a high bill.

“I think something is seriously wrong. Something must be seriously wrong, because this is not the bill (I should be receiving),” said Dhuga.

When Dhuga got her statement, she told CTV News she hired a plumber to look for leaks and said none could be found. She also contacted the Toronto water department to say it must be a mistake.

“There is something wrong with the meter or the way they are estimating their readings,” Dhuga said.

When CTV News reached out to the City of Toronto, a spokesperson said in a statement:

“We understand how stressful it can be to receive a large utility bill, even when it reflects accurate water use. City of Toronto staff have been in touch with the multi-use property owner several times to explain the situation and offer support. The building consists of commercial properties such as a pet groomer, barbershop and hair salon, along with two residential units.”

The city went on to say that in this case, the water meter was working properly, “but the device that sends readings to the City failed, so the account was billed based on prior historical building consumption estimates for nearly three years.”

“Once a manual reading confirmed the meter’s accuracy, a one-time catch-up bill was issued to account for the difference between estimated and actual use,” it said.

“We are continuing to work with the property owner to set up a payment plan. Toronto residents can be assured they are not charged for more water than they use, and anyone with billing concerns is encouraged to contact 311 for support.”

The city is about to start replacing the 470,000 MTUs over a three-year period. The failure of the devices has led to other bills being estimated and inaccurate.

Dhuga, however, told CTV News she can’t afford to pay such a large water bill.

“I’m upset. I can’t sleep and no one is listening, you know,” she said.

After CTV News contacted the city, Dhuga said someone from the water department came to the building and inspected the water meter and found there was a problem. The city decided to replace the water meter and the MTU.

The City of Toronto adjusted the bill down from almost $31,702 to $12,403, which was not a perfect outcome for Dhuga, but it was a relief to have it reduced by almost $20,000.

“This is much better. I’m so glad I was in touch with you,” she said.

To avoid estimated billing, you can call 311 to check your balance or report a meter reading or you can also submit a water meter reading through the City of Toronto’s website.